Acuario Nacional Marino

Experiencia fantástica: Fabulous evening, the musicians were incredible and the setting in Plymouth aquarium was just perfect.. I would highly recommend this venue and event

Experiencia fantástica: The Friday evening tribute to ABBA. Fantastic performance by the Haldon Quartet. Incredible backdrop (see my photo). Friendly event staff. All seats taken but not overcrowded. Drinks reasonably priced. No queuing time. Easy access. Bonus was being able to look at the aquarium

Experiencia fantástica: Such a beautiful experience. The string quartet are so talented and you can see they loved every minute of performing. Definitely worth getting premium seating to see it up close

Experiencia positiva: A lovely evening at the candlelight concert at the aquarium the backdrop was beautiful and the performers were great

Experiencia positiva: I and my little 3 yr olds love the aquarium, it’s a great place and the staff are super lovely, it’s a brilliant space to expose kids to a world under the sea. but please please please can you remove to pointless computer/ interactive screens in the big tank room, I don’t take my kids to an aquarium to have them completely distracted by a ‘colour in a digital fish’ on a interactive screen, set that stuff up in a separate space that allows parents to choose whether their kid interacts with it or not, also the food and coffee is not that great in the cafe.

Experiencia negativa: Disappointing customer service & ignored feedback We visited Plymouth Aquarium recently after my dad purchased the Feeding the Turtle experience for my mum at a cost of £140. Despite this experience including entry to the aquarium, my parents were refused the complimentary annual passes that are given with standard entry tickets. Staff on the day were unable to explain why this experience was excluded, even though the aquarium’s own website states that each paying person should receive a non-transferable annual pass. Nowhere does it say that this experience is excluded from that policy. What has been most disappointing is the complete lack of response afterwards. We were specifically asked for feedback and given a business card with an email address to contact. I have emailed twice and received no reply at all. To ignore paying customers who were encouraged to provide feedback is extremely poor customer service. We are regular supporters of the aquarium, so this experience has been very disappointing and has left us feeling ignored and undervalued.

Experiencia fantástica: It’s brilliant. Lots of activities for the kids I’m sure you could spend hours in there doing all the activities.. it’s a visual and sensory overload lots of fun for adults and kids. The big main tank is really impressive but I also liked the fish eye set ups and jelly fish tanks. Cafe was packed, packed lunch would have been perfect. You can revive or walk to it as parking nearby. Your entry qualifies for free reentry for one year which is lovely touch makes it very affordable if you intend to visit again.

Experiencia fantástica: An excellent show. The quartet were feb and entertaining. The show only lasted an hour but that was fine , it left you wanting more and I would definitely book up to see other shows.

Experiencia fantástica: The Haldon Quartet’s performance of a Tribute to ABBA at the Candlelight at the National Aquarium was absolutely Amazing.

Experiencia fantástica: Lovley aquarium! Not very big but has some fantastic displays no real criticism apart from i wish some the displays had "do not smack" signs. So many children banging on the glass, probably a little stressfully for the sea life.

Experiencia fantástica: Ein faszinierendes Unterwasser-Erlebnis für Groß und Klein! Das National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth ist absolut einen Besuch wert. Die gesamte Ausstellung ist unglaublich beeindruckend gestaltet und nimmt einen mit auf eine Reise durch die verschiedenen Weltmeere. Meine Highlights: Hautnah bei den Haien: Das riesige Hauptbecken ist der absolute Wahnsinn. Die Haie ziehen so nah an der Glasscheibe vorbei, dass man das Gefühl hat, man könnte sie förmlich anfassen. Ein wirklich intensives und unvergessliches Erlebnis! Vielfalt der Meeresbewohner: Von anmutigen Rochen über farbenprächtige Feuerfische bis hin zu leuchtenden Quallen gibt es an jeder Ecke etwas Neues zu entdecken. Tolle Atmosphäre: Die Becken sind wunderschön beleuchtet und sehr gepflegt, was für eine tolle Stimmung sorgt. Wer in Plymouth oder Umgebung ist, sollte sich dieses Aquarium nicht entgehen lassen. Es ist lehrreich, spannend und bietet faszinierende Einblicke in die marine Tierwelt.

Experiencia fantástica: Took the family for a new year treat, really nice and peaceful place to be. Learnt alot about ocean conservation. Highly recommend a visit.

Experiencia fantástica: Great day out for kids for a day out. or Adults who just want to sit and chill looking at the fish.

Experiencia negativa: Clean, well kept animals and tanks. Informative. Lovely staff. Too expensive for only an hour's entertainment. Update 12/2025: The slap up food is now obscenely expensive. 60p for ketchup packets exposes the mindset. Customer meals were served with items missing because the chef didn't know the menu. This will be our last time.

Experiencia fantástica: Wonderful experience, the massive tanks were mesmerising. I would however recommend anyone with mobility issues do not use the disabled car park, as the walk to the entrance is a very long way from the carpark, so the best thing to do is drop off on the barbican and cross the footbridge to the entrance. There really should be signage in the disabled car park letting people know it is at least 15 minutes if you have mobility issues. Otherwise an absolutely fabulous day out .

Experiencia fantástica: We went to the Rings and Dragons Candlelight concert at the National Marine Aquarium during the Christmas period and absolutely loved it. Sitting there with a glass of wine, listening to a string quartet play music from Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, with candlelight all around and fish swimming in the background, was such a cool and relaxing experience. It felt really special without being formal or over the top. The Haldon Quartet were great and the music worked perfectly in that setting. Definitely something a bit different and well worth going to — I’d happily do it again.

Experiencia fantástica: Would have been good to know where to queue but a lovely experience would definitely go again

Experiencia positiva: Its a nice little aquarium, however we did think the price was a lot. Understand its for upkeep costs. We stayed and watched the shark feeding, it was explained very differently to how it actually was. Couldn't really see them being fed, it was more to get them closer to glass if anything.

Experiencia negativa: As many others have said BIG money for a tiny aquarium. Over £60 for two adults and one child and we walked round the whole thing in 30 minutes. We drove for two and a half hours to get there...! The website says strictly no refunds - makes sense now why they write that, overheard others moaning too. Don't do it!! Fortunately the sun was out so we tried to make the best of our day around the harbour. Our child was very upset and disappointed.

Experiencia negativa: I rarely leave reviews, but after visiting the National Marine Aquarium, I feel compelled to warn others. To put it bluntly: this was an overpriced, underwhelming, and honestly boring experience. We paid a small fortune for what felt like a glorified fish tank exhibit. The place is shockingly small for the price of admission. You walk in expecting something grand or immersive, and within 30–45 minutes, you’ve seen everything — and that’s if you’re stretching it. Half the tanks were either empty or so dimly lit you couldn’t even see what was inside. A few decent-sized tanks, sure, but nothing that justifies the steep cost. The layout felt confusing and uninspired, with zero sense of flow or excitement. No real interaction, no engaging displays for kids (or adults, frankly), and just an overwhelming sense of “is that it?” by the time you reach the so-called “end.” The staff were polite, but looked just as bored as the visitors. It honestly felt more like a cash grab than an educational or entertaining day out. I’ve seen better aquariums at garden centres — no joke. Save your money and your time. This place is not worth it. If you've been to any major aquarium before, prepare for a massive letdown.

Experiencia negativa: Came to Plymouth especially for this. Closing at 12:30pm for a ‘team building activity’. Absolutely nothing on the website or in the building until you’re about to pay. A wasted trip.

Experiencia positiva: A little disappointing for being the National Aquarium. The exhibits and educational information are all good but wanted to see more fish. Especially for the price. Surrounded by families, kids and strollers can push you through faster than you want. Saw a lot of staff standing around talking to each other.

Experiencia negativa: Worst aquarium I've been too. Value for money is shocking. £26 for an adult ( under 3's go free thank god ) we were probably in and out within 30 mins.

Experiencia fantástica: Been multiple times, would recommend booking tickets as sometimes it can get busy. Once you pay you can come and go as you please and get an annual pass so it's free for an entire year, £25 for a year of aquarium visits seem like a good deal to me. I love spending time watching the shark tank and also just relaxing and enjoying watching the fish. Would definitely recommend and will be going back again and again

Experiencia positiva: We spent the weekend in Plymouth, so on a rain day we visited the aquarium. We were a little disappointed it’s meant to be the uk’s largest Aquarium but it seemed small, not a lot to see or variety. I’ve visited the Bournemouth Aquarium and at a cost of £14pp compared to £26pp and the Bournemouth Aquarium had lots of variety, more stuff to see and more enjoyable experience not to mention the price difference!

Experiencia fantástica: An amazing aquarium with plenty of aquatic animals and fascinating information about the oceans.

Experiencia positiva: It is a good aquarium when it's not full of screaming kids and when the transformer isn't working there.

Experiencia fantástica: I took park in the Zebra Shark Experience where we were able to feed Zeus the shark. We were greeted by Tom who took us on a brief tour of the three main tanks, giving us detailed insights into some of the sea life which was very interesting. Tom then took us into biologist area above the tank where he gave us more information and taught us how to feed the shark. It was extremely informative, hands on, and a really good time all round. I absolutely recommend

Experiencia positiva: 3 levels of underwater adventure, loads of species of fish to see. I enjoyed looking at the fish but i did not see much information about them. Just the name and a picture. Also it was so busy it was a bit unenjoyable. Loads of screaming children and people with very poor spacial awareness. It was good to see they had sold out of tickets on the door as it was too busy inside. Defiantly book in advance . Your tickets last all year too.

Experiencia positiva: Amazing fishies, they are really beautiful and staff could answer any questions I had about fish, it like walking into an another world in my opinion.

Experiencia positiva: Great Aquarium, a lot of information a wide variety of all different sea creatures. Kids loved it

Experiencia negativa: Good aquarium but having seen videos on TikTok and reviews I was expecting big things. It’s actually a pretty small space inside- biggest rooms are the cafe and gift shop which says a lot. All tanks are pretty small and even the big windows are smaller in person than they appear on the photos. Took under an hour to get around the whole thing. Probably great for younger kids. Cafe food was terrible so bring your own! All tank windows were pretty dirty too

Experiencia fantástica: Shout out to staff member Milly Jay who went above and beyond today to help out my wife and children.

Experiencia fantástica: I love this aquarium! I could sit and stare at the ocean tank all day! Today we did the turtle feeding experience: it was amazing! Chris was fascinating and full of interesting information, as well as very friendly and funny. I will definitely be recommending this to anyone, and I will be looking at what other experieces are offered. (Although I would happily feed the turtle again if we had a different guest, it was that magical and interesting!)

Experiencia negativa: Parking for large vehicles (motorhomes) not possible close to aquarium or even in Plymouth park and rides. Not the aquariums fault, maybe something they could talk to the council about improving

Experiencia fantástica: Great few hours visiting. Wonderful fish etc and good interactive talk about sharks. The kids see the beauty of nature and gain appreciation of how endangered these animals are. Good few hours whilst visiting Plymouth.

Experiencia fantástica: Fantastic aquarium

Experiencia positiva: Ik vond het wat verouderd ogen allemaal. Geen grotere haaien te zien. Had het wat mooier en groter verwacht.

Experiencia positiva: I have read the reviews before I went to this aquarium so I knew what to expect. To be honest, the staff are quite friendly and helpful, and I wish I could give it a higher point, but the fish tanks are too small, and the so-called biggest fish tank could have come with a bit more fish or more impressive fish. I think perhaps because the major visitors of this aquarium are kids and their families these days, they stick too many stickers with words and scientific facts on the wall, yet put too few fish to see. The best room is the room with the lecture, the curvy glass helps us to see the animals more clearly. The lecturer was very enthusiastic when she talked about sharks, rays, and the green turtle. I do not mind that they make the Aquarium more educational, but I hope they prioritize the fish rather than people. Whether bigger or smaller fish, they need more space to swim. For the size and the reputation of this museum, they could have done better.

Experiencia negativa: Extremely crowded and overpriced. £26 per adult and the place is absolutely filled to the brim with screaming children. Every tank is covered in dirty fingerprints and saliva. There are 3 large tanks with dedicated seating yet people decide its a better idea to walk right up and block everyone else's view. Particularly during our visit, there were lots of entitled families who think it's acceptable to let their children push in and will literally stand in front of someone. Not really managed by the staff with entry times as it is an attraction for all ages after all. The whole place can be finished in about 30-40 minutes so I have no idea where 3 hours has come from on the website. You do get 12 months of entry with the price you pay but majority of people will be tourists from afar and won't use this feature. The tickets are also named with each guest meaning they can't really be given to friends or family to visit. Also, PAID PARKING! Absolutely ridiculous for the price you pay. Based on the estimated 3 hours to explore the aquarium, we purchased a 6 hour window of parking for £9.50 as the shorter window was 3 hours for £6. One positive is an employee who I didn't get a name of! Lovely fella wearing glasses. He is a pro about anything jellyfish related and was more than happy to answer any questions we had. We now know why those jellyfish were upside down! Cool guy! The Deep in Hull is similarly priced and far more worth it!

Experiencia positiva: Parking fee and high entry fee (even my 3 year old payed a high price). Expensive and not as big as I expected. Exhibits were nice.

Experiencia fantástica: Fantastic day out. We also got a free pass for a year as standard

Experiencia positiva: I’d agree with previous comments re the time spent there - can easily be done within 20-30 mins. Seems the place is made up of 2-3 big tanks and some little ones with not much in them. I do think it’s a little overpriced for what it is (I know you can come back within 12 months but we’re not from the area so really there should be a cheaper option). On the positive it is pram friendly which was good with a little baby and you can get some fairly reasonably priced items in the gift shop.

Experiencia fantástica: Enjoyed the atmosphere of the candles with the aquarium. The music was wonderful and the musicians were fantastic

Experiencia fantástica: A great family day here. It was wonderful to see the tanks with fish, sharks and other sea life. It was even better seeing my granddaughters reaction to seeing these up close. Magical. I'm certain we'll all visit again when they are next in the area. Highly recommend this attraction for a visit.

Experiencia negativa: Don’t go. Waste of money unless you want to look at little fish. Nothing special. Didn’t even see a single turtle. Most exciting thing was a jellyfish. Bad. Bad. Bad. Bad.

Experiencia positiva: A great place to visit, sadly there was a lot of noise inside because of all the kids. Beautiful Fischer and nice atmosphere so if you have kids it a big yes to visit

Experiencia positiva: So much too see. There was 2 school parties here when I went and they looked intrigued by the big tank while they were at a talk. I loved it,my daughter in law showed us the way luckily else I'd have been going in circles. Didn't see any seahorses which were there last time and the sharks were not that big but my fave were the mantas and stingrays. There were some really big starfish,a turtle and lots of strange looking fish and anemones. Got a years pass on buying entry tickets so will be returning soon.

Experiencia negativa: Went with a toddler, easily done in an hour (not 3 as the website suggested). Tanks seemed a bit murky, no the massive variety of species we were expecting. No octopus / cephalopoda, unless they were cunningly hiding. The price unfortunately didn't justify the experience for us, not to mention the long drive.

Experiencia negativa: We visited on a Tuesday in June and heard good things about the aquarium. However, we were extremely disappointed. £52 for 2 people who don't live locally and most likely won't return seems a very expensive price to pay. The variety of fish was nothing unique in comparison to sea life centres which usually have seals and penguins. A lot of the tanks were dimly lit which meant you couldn't see much. Extremely disappointed and wouldn't return, unfortunately. Would not recommend it.

Experiencia fantástica: A fantastic evening, incredible scenery and phenomenal music.

Experiencia fantástica: Lots of information and big fish. We took about an hour to go around, we did not read the information boards which could easily add another hour. There are a couple of places to sit and watch which is a pleasant way to spend some time. They offer a year's entry for the price of a day; £26 per adult, which is quite pricey if you only visit once. However visit again within the year and it becomes fantastic value!

Experiencia positiva: Some lovely big tanks with plenty of happy healthy fish. I can't help but think they would be best enjoyed in a quieter atmosphere

Experiencia fantástica: Great Aquarium, cool massive tanks and good variety of fish to see

Experiencia fantástica: Wonderful hans zimmer candlelight concert

Experiencia fantástica: The evening was amazing. The staff are friendly and very helpful. The backdrop of the fish tank with the candles is such a lovely setting. What can I say about the talented string orchestra, absolutely fantastic from upbeat tracks to the slower tracks that gave me a few tears. This is our second event at the Aquarium and I'm sure there will be many more to look forward to. Highly recommend.

Experiencia fantástica: Review for the candlight concert Unbelievable experience, will absolutely be going to another one! Setlist was the perfect length and the atmosphere of it in the aquarium was fantastic.

Experiencia fantástica: Brilliant venue, excellent facilities and listening to the musicians with the fish tank in the background was magical.

Experiencia negativa: There is no parking on site (and the nearest one is expensive and cunningly doesn't have a 2 hour option)...there isn't a great deal to see in comparison with others and there is very little in terms of modern technology. Not good value.

Experiencia fantástica: An excellent aquarium that is heavily involved in conservation, whilst some people say the entry fee is rather expensive it has a large number of tanks/exhibits that follows the fresh waters journey from Dartmoor to the Sea, making this an ideal place to visit with children that can take a reasonable amount of time to get around, making this a good place to visit on days with poor weather. The aquarium offers occasional 'sleep overs' for children and 'hands on' behind the scenes feeding of the animals and many other extra activities (please see website for more information).

Experiencia fantástica: Very friendly staff and lots of amazing aquatic creatures to see.

Experiencia positiva: I have visited the Aquarium a couple of month ago. It is a great family programm but if you want to avoid crowds do not go in the weekends. I went on Saturday and it was fully packed with screaming babies and toddlers crawling all over around in every possible directions. As per the Aquarium I liked the educational and the science side of it, there is a lot to learn about marine and sea life. There is lots of information about conservation and environmental challenges that our seas, oceans, have to face. It is awesome to see the marine animals&plants so close. Unfortunately, many smaller tanks were empty and significant areas were closed which was a bit disappointing considered that I paid full price ticket. I found the souvenir shop way to expensive too. All in all it is an interesting place especially, if you looking for a dayout programm also you can grab something to eat&drink as it has a restaurant too.

Experiencia positiva: Excellent day out especially when wet. Plenty of activities for kids. lifts for push chairs are small. Cafe service very slow and run out of food at lunchtime. Clearly a lack of planning for a wet half term holiday.

Experiencia positiva: Excellent. You get to see so much. You can even go round again and again. The cafe has very limited seating, food looked good but seemed overpriced. Toilets are located throughout. Easy to get round with pushchair, lift however is very small. The view you get of the animals is amazing.

Experiencia negativa: This NMA is a joke. If you are about to see the proper reef tanks that’s not a good place to go- ask private passionate as they have better and more. Would never ever go back. You can see everything that got in 30 minutes. Really A JOKE!!!

Experiencia fantástica: Great and you can go back for free if you sign up when getting your tickets so win win for the rest of the year taking the granddaughter as she loves it.

Experiencia fantástica: I've been to many aquarium before and this place is in deed a unique experience. Definitely on the top of my list.

Experiencia fantástica: This show was fantastic and I recommend it to everyone. We are so lucky to have the National Marine Aquarium and to have an event like this makes it more special.

Experiencia fantástica: Such a beautiful place to go on a day out with the family very educational and exciting loved it

Experiencia fantástica: We visited today for a home education trip, there's always so much to see and lots of interactive exhibits and interesting information. We enjoyed the idraw screen where they can colour in their own sea creatures and watch them swim around, you can even use a mobile if all the screens are in use. We also got to see lots of Friday the turtle and enjoyed a picnic in the outdoor play area.

Experiencia fantástica: Really loved it, especially with the soothing music playing in the background. Can't wait to go again.

Experiencia fantástica: The National Marine Aquarium is one of the best places to visit in Plymouth with family. The kids truly enjoyed the visit, and it is also suitable for adults. The tour can be completed in two hours. There is a paid parking facility nearby.

Experiencia fantástica: What an absolutely fantastic visit to the aquarium! From start to finish, it’s a place that sparks curiosity, wonder, and a lot of laughs along the way. The exhibits are beautifully designed, the staff are incredibly knowledgeable, and there’s something magical about watching both kids and adults become completely mesmerized by the underwater world. One of the highlights of our visit? Meeting Roger the octopus—or should I say, Ms. Roger! The story of how the staff originally thought Roger was a male, only to later discover “he” was actually a “she,” had the whole group laughing. It was genuinely one of the most charming, unexpected moments of the day—and just goes to show how full of surprises nature can be. The aquarium does an amazing job of blending education with entertainment. You come away not just smiling, but having learned something new. Whether you’re local or just passing through, it’s 100% worth a visit

Experiencia negativa: I was really looking forward to visiting this aquarium, but unfortunately, it was a huge letdown. It was way too crowded—barely any space to move, let alone enjoy the exhibits. The cafe was another disappointment: limited menu options and nothing looked fresh. On top of that, the tables were dirty and clearly hadn’t been cleaned between guests. Overall, not worth the trip. Wouldn’t recommend.

Experiencia fantástica: Plenty to see and plenty to do. The kids enjoyed it and we watched the shark talk which was very interesting

Experiencia fantástica: Sadly rain and lack of parking put a bit of a damper on arrival, but inside was amazing. So many areas, huge number of marine animals and staff were very good despite a very busy day.

Experiencia fantástica: Fantastic place. Lots of to see and stuff is very professional and nice. The price is good so just have see this fantastic place

Experiencia positiva: Our visit was without issues and the children really enjoyed themselves. I had read it was one of the best Aquariums in the country but I don’t think this is the case. London and Weymouth to name a few are better in my opinion. Facilities were clean, staff ultra friendly and you can select to have a free years membership in with your ticket. Would recommend if in the area and need something to do. Be careful with the nearby car park. Pay at meter doesn’t work well. Download the “PayByPhone” app and do it through there. I ready you needed 3-4 hours for the aquarium but we were done in just over 1 hour.

Experiencia negativa: A big disappointment!! Not many tanks, few varieties of sea creatures/ fishes. Many tanks were empty. A dim light throughout the aquarium. You could cover entire aquarium in less than a hour. We visited on 11th March and on that day one of the elevator wasn’t working which is difficult if you are visiting with baby like us. We could enjoy different varieties of fish in one big massive tank and that’s the only thing I guess one can do. Staff also looks like not very enthusiastic with no interaction or knowledge sharing with visitors. And for the price £26 for a adult it was expensive and wouldn’t recommend.

Experiencia positiva: There is a massive lack of interpretation boards at this aquarium to enable you to work out what you're looking at. The only area that actually labelled which sea creatures were in which tank was the Plymouth Sound one. The big tanks with lots of different species in them had TV screens with a rolling display of names of some of the creatures in those tanks, which made trying to work out what you were looking at almost impossible: you had to stand and watch the screen as it slowly went through lots of different species before the one you'd been looking at finally came up, by which time the creature itself would have disappeared so you wouldn't be able to cross reference between the info on the screen and the animal itself. Then in other areas there were printed signs up beside the smaller tanks, but the lighting was so dim and the signs so unclear that I just gave up trying to strain my eyes. It's such a shame, as an experience like this is fairly pointless if you have no idea what you're looking at.

Experiencia negativa: A little underwhelming. A leisurely walk round takes less than an hour. More than a little overpriced. £65 for one adult, one student and one child.

Experiencia fantástica: A truly unique experience with an incredible musical performance from The Haldon Quartet in a beautifully serene setting. Thank you for the opportunity to join you all.

Experiencia fantástica: WOW..... my lad is shark mad and on finding NMA did a snorkel in the aquarium experience I thought that he would like that.. well I was not expecting such an experience, Chris our guide met us and took us through the aquarium to the 3 main tanks and gave us some very informative information about the specious of fish in them and their behaviours, Chris engaged with us from start to finish with my lad answering some of his questions and I was like how did you know that ? :0). Once we got our wet suites on and Chris talked us through who is likely to visit us and how they will behave around us which I must admit but me to ease as I was putting a brave face on for my son. once in I instantly felt safe being so close to the sharks is an experience I will never forget and the smile on my lads face spoke a thousand words. A Hugh Thankyou to chris and the team at NMA we will be seeing you again, keep up the fantastic work you guys do.

Experiencia fantástica: Superb exhibition. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff who are very happy to chat and answer questions.

Experiencia negativa: We were completely disappointed with our recent visit to the National Marine Aquarium. Despite being advertised as the UK’s largest aquarium, it had a surprisingly limited variety of marine life. The only large shark we saw was a single tiger shark, along with a few baby sharks. Compared to our previous visits to the London and Birmingham aquariums, where we saw a much wider range of sea creatures, this experience felt underwhelming. Considering we traveled a total of 8 hours for this visit, it did not feel worth the journey. However, we did enjoy the seaside experience and the coastal walk after the visit, which was the highlight of our day. Unfortunately, the aquarium itself did not meet our expectations.

Experiencia negativa: We are members of the National marine aquarium and came today to bring our toddler and newborn for a day out. Before leaving we checked that it was open and told our very excited toddler. We got there paid for a days parking and got there to be told it was closed for a planned event. Was it posted on the website or anywhere else no it wasn’t so now we have a devastated toddler and a cold hungry new born with nowhere to go and a days parking paid for.

Experiencia fantástica: What a great night out, fantastic setting and great musicality. Loved it.

Experiencia fantástica: Dive into an Ocean of Wonders! National Marine Aquarium is the UK's largest aquarium in the heart of Plymouth and a must-visit for marine life enthusiasts and families alike. You’ll encounter many fascinating creatures, including sharks, rays, jellyfish, and even a giant turtle (Friday). The staff provides learning experiences with interactive exhibits and demonstrations.Also, there is a Cafe and Picnic area with stunning views of Plymouth. Whether you're a marine enthusiast or just looking for a fun day out,Dive into an ocean of wonders and discover the beauty of the underwater world! Note : Admission tickets come with a Free annual pass ( unlimited for 12 months).

Experiencia fantástica: A magical evening. A great Valentine’s gift for my husband. The musicians interacted well with the audience. Easy access for mobility chair users. The only negative being that the £5 additional fee for a photo was far from being VFM. We received a Polaroid style photograph. .

Experiencia positiva: Visited in May 2025. You get 1 year re-entry, however we made the mistake and did not book our re-entry and just showed up. Unfortunately it was fully booked (rainy day). So we could not enter that day. It was not super clear that you had to book a re-entry. We booked another day with our re-entry tickets and there was not a problem. It was really good with a lot to look at. Worth a visit, just remember to book (even re-entry). 2024: Excellent. Visited here in August 2024 with family. Excellent experience with quite a lot to see. The main tank a range of large fish (sharks to rays) with different viewing windows. My kids loved it here and could have easily stayed all day just watching the fish. There was only 2 tanks that had nothing in them, but everything else had life. There was a good range of different tanks that had a range of different fish. Kids loved it. Price is quite high.

Experiencia fantástica: Our family had a fantastic time at the NMA! We visited during a school holiday and recommend arriving when it opens to avoid the crowds. My child loved observing and learning about the marine creatures, and the rangers were knowledgeable, sharing fascinating facts. The aquarium is well-maintained, and tickets include an unlimited annual pass. The café food was reasonably priced and tasted good. We spent around four hours there (10am–2pm). Overall, a great experience—I highly recommend it for families with children!

Experiencia negativa: Avoid corporate events at all costs. Staff ask the visitors to use the ‘manned’ wardrobe pre-events for outerwear. After only 3 hours into the event my new jacket got stolen. Staff were dismissive and ignorant. Multiple face to face and email enquiries were completely unprofessionally ignored. Low-quality, overpriced catering throughout the event.

Experiencia fantástica: Attended a candlelit string quartet event. Perfect location. Well organised. The fish played their part beautifully

Experiencia fantástica: A beautifully romantic evening. Gorgeous love songs played beautifully by the quartet and the 3,500 candles in from of the fish gave it the most romantic vibe. We’ll definitely be back next Valentines.

Experiencia negativa: Really disappointed with this it was really expensive and we only spent an hour there wasn't much there at all!! We walked around twice in 1 hour as I was in disbelief that that was all there was to see we thought we had missed some but we hadn't. Won't be returning. No wonder you get a years free annual pass because once you've been once you don't need to go again! Seen it all. Day light robbery!

Experiencia positiva: Very enjoyable music in a great atmospheric setting. The comfort of the seating became a bit of a distraction after a while and a cloakroom to leave coats would have been appreciated. The bar was a nice touch but having nowhere to set a glass down was somewhat inconvenient. Overall a good experience but might be improved with the aforementioned points. Many thanks

Experiencia fantástica: Fantastically atmospheric venue. The music of Hans Zimmer was superb. Each piece was really well explained by the musicians, who were excellent. A memorable evening!

Experiencia fantástica: Went for my boyfriends birthday and when we went back look at the octopus we had missed earlier the wonderful Soraya and Grayham allowed us to see it before closing such a wonderful end to out day :)

Experiencia negativa: Really bad experience today! Awful service with my service user. Refused entry because she requires 2-1 staffing and they have a new policy which started yesterday that they only accept one carer? We had pre paid so unsure why this was a problem when we arrived. Online we booked for one adult and two carers, no issues? The lady was very unreasonable when expressed that our service user has physical and mental needs requiring two people to support. This has really upset us and means that we now cannot access a day out due to ignorance. Thanks NMA.

Experiencia negativa: Visited today with my girlfriend (came all the way from Cardiff) to see the “UK’s biggest aquarium” If this is the best we can do in the UK, then it is incredibly disappointing! We arrived at 12:15 - the line was short, lots of children as to be expected on the weekend which is fine. We proceeded to the exhibits, of which there are very few. The aquarium is basically two main tanks. The fish in them are large and the sharks/rays were impressive, however, there was additional tanks with tropical fish, and anything with real colour or vibrancy. From my experience in other aquarium, they make the most of the limited space with multiple viewing areas, across different levels, all around the tank which drags out your time there and gives you different persepctives. The one main tank has a single viewing area, which could easily be covered by 15/20 people’. We also noted that the glass slightly hazed, and the way the lights shon into the tank made it difficult to see further in. Another really disappointing factor was the lack of any information on the fish. Nothing on the walls, no speakers or voiceovers & the staff that we saw were either sat down or stood in the corner and not really interacting with people. I guess the one positive was you could see they had a focus on conservation and encoring things like sea grass etc but overall, it was incredibly disappointing. To put it into perspective, we visited the aquarium in Bristol & spent far longer in there and really enjoyed the exhibits. Also, what we noticed, on the way home, when looking at the reviews most of the 4/5 start reviews were from their events like the candle lit dinners etc so be weary of the validity of the reviews. For £52 each for two adults, I would not recommend in the slightest but I would instead donate to their conservation work.